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<h1>rsyslog.conf configuration file</h1>
<p><b>This document is currently being enhanced. Please
pardon its current appearance.</b></p>
<p><b>Rsyslogd is configured via the rsyslog.conf file</b>,
typically found in /etc. By default, rsyslogd reads the file
/etc/rsyslog.conf. This may be changed by a command line option.</p>
<p><a href="http://wiki.rsyslog.com/index.php/Configuration_Samples">
Configuration file examples can be found in the rsyslog wiki</a>.</p>
<p>There is also one sample file provided together with the
documentation set. If you do not like to read, be sure to have at least
a quick look at
<a href="rsyslog-example.conf">rsyslog-example.conf</a>.
</p>
<p>While rsyslogd contains enhancements over standard syslogd,
efforts have been made to keep the configuration file as compatible as
possible. While, for obvious reasons, <a href="features.html">enhanced
features</a> require a different config file syntax, rsyslogd
should be able to work with a standard syslog.conf file. This is
especially useful while you are migrating from syslogd to rsyslogd.</p>
<h2><a href="rsyslog_conf_modules.html">Modules</a></h2>
<h2>Lines</h2>
Lines can be continued by specifying a backslash ("\") as the last
character of the line. There is a hard-coded maximum line length of 4K.
If you need lines larger than that, you need to change compile-time
settings inside rsyslog and recompile.
<h2><a href="rsyslog_conf_global.html">Configuration Directives</a></h2>
<h2>Basic Structure</h2>
<p>Rsyslog supports standard sysklogd's configuration file format
and extends it. So in general, you can take a "normal" syslog.conf and
use it together with rsyslogd. It will understand everything. However,
to use most of rsyslogd's unique features, you need to add extended
configuration directives.</p>
<p>Rsyslogd supports the classical, selector-based rule lines.
They are still at the heart of it and all actions are initiated via
rule lines. A rule lines is any line not starting with a $ or the
comment sign (#). Lines starting with $ carry rsyslog-specific
directives.</p>
<p>Every rule line consists of two fields, a selector field and
an action field. These two fields are separated by one or more spaces
or tabs. The selector field specifies a pattern of facilities and
priorities belonging to the specified action.<br>
<br>
Lines starting with a hash mark ("#'') and empty lines are ignored.
</p>
<h2><a href="rsyslog_conf_templates.html">Templates</a></h2>
<h2><a href="rsyslog_conf_output.html">Output Channels</a></h2>
<h2><a href="rsyslog_conf_filter.html">Filter Conditions</a></h2>
<h2><a href="rsyslog_conf_actions.html">Actions</a></h2>
<h2><a href="rsyslog_conf_examples.html">Examples</a></h2>
<p>Here you will find examples for templates and selector lines. I hope
they are self-explanatory. If not, please see
www.monitorware.com/rsyslog/ for advise.</p>
<h2>Configuration File Syntax Differences</h2>
<p>Rsyslogd uses a slightly different syntax for its
configuration file than the original BSD sources. Originally all
messages of a specific priority and above were forwarded to the log
file. The modifiers "='', "!'' and "!-'' were added to make rsyslogd
more flexible and to use it in a more intuitive manner.<br>
<br>
The original BSD syslogd doesn't understand spaces as separators
between the selector and the action field.<br>
<br>
When compared to syslogd from sysklogd package, rsyslogd offers
additional
<a href="features.html">features</a> (like template
and database support). For obvious reasons, the syntax for defining
such features is available in rsyslogd, only.</p>

<p>[<a href="rsyslog_conf.html">back to top</a>]
[<a href="manual.html">manual index</a>]
[<a href="http://www.rsyslog.com/">rsyslog site</a>]</p>
<p><font size="2">This documentation is part of the
<a href="http://www.rsyslog.com/">rsyslog</a> project.<br>
Copyright &copy; 2008,2009 by <a href="http://www.gerhards.net/rainer">Rainer Gerhards</a> and
<a href="http://www.adiscon.com/">Adiscon</a>. Released under the GNU GPL
version 3 or higher.</font></p>
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